Stine Smith, left, and Kristy Hunter, right, started a business together after becoming disillusioned with the cleaning industry
A duo of mums have revealed how they dropped out of the race to school to start a multi-million dollar cleaning business – after becoming frustrated with the effects of single-use plastic on the environment.
Kristy Hunter, 48, and Stine Smith, 45, from Tauranga, New Zealand, couldn’t believe the cleaning industry was still “stuck in the 90s”.
Speaking to FEMAIL, the founders of Good Change revealed that they are tired of adding to the landfill with every new cleaning product purchase.
“Every time I used the single-use sprays and petroleum-based clothing, I thought about the world I was leaving for my kids,” Stine said.
“And I think a lot of people feel the same way, we all want to make a difference but we don’t really know where to start.”
Moms couldn’t “find better” at their local stores, but Stine managed to find an eco-friendly fabric she remembered from growing up in Denmark.
But it was in a specialized ecological store and it was very expensive.
“Also, I’m a mother of three, I don’t have time to travel to the next town for an eco-specialty store, I want something I can find in the supermarket along with everything else,” Stine said.
Stine pictured with a boot full of produce – the women drove around the country to get their produce out
They each poured $30,000 into the business and were excited but nervous when their first shipping container arrived.
So she invited her friend Kristy to an after-school business meeting – and they’ve been working together on the Good Change store ever since.
“People say don’t start a business with friends, but we’re rule breakers, and both have an innate ability to laugh and let complications overwhelm us. We work really well together and have the best time to get things done,” she said.
The duo developed their first fabric, invested their savings, about $30,000 each, into ordering a container, and then hit the road.
“It was a cool trip, we traveled the country with a full boot and just knocked on supermarket doors,” Stine said.
“You’re a little knocked out – but that’s the benefit of being mature and confident.”
“And it’s scary because you just used up a lot of the family money – but we believed it.”
Soon they were in supermarkets across the country, then they launched their own website and now they are also selling in Australia.
“It’s an amazing feeling when people say yes to you and you see your stuff on the shelf. Even better when they call you back to order more.
mums have successfully started a carbon-neutral cleaning products business – and are thrilled with the positive impact their idea will have on the environment
Kristy said there had been ‘lots of sleepless nights’ for the business to be successful and she was trying hard to tell the kids that the holidays would be canceled for a while.
“But we have the ability to laugh at things and because we’re so positive, the challenges seem to float above us,” she said.
Friends say building a popular business comes with a few added challenges – trying to manage cash flow and inventory levels tops the list.
“We were seeing massive growth, which meant we had to watch the money because it was tight,” Stine said.
“It’s easier now that we have big chains on board because we know what orders are coming in and can plan ahead,” she said.
Their kida are proud of the company and have rolled up their sleeves to help their mums
Families have had to tighten their belts and ‘cancel vacations’ for a while, but they are now thriving
The women worked out their business plan together and then took a business course in Sydney before launching their Good Change products.
“We’ve never been so excited about the cleanup,” they laughed.
They had to change their plan to be businesses with commercial operators when Covid hit – which is why they decided to go online too.
Now they turn over a million dollars every year – and have huge projected growth.
They have also branched out and sell cleaning products alongside their branded clothing.
The sprays are all in glass bottles, mums wanting something that looks good and lasts well, the refills come in a concentrated form.
Moms are proud to show their children how an idea can change lives and even the world
“We worked with scientists to make the perfect product. My husband used to be cynical but now he loves it,” Stine said.
Refills are tablets which, when added to water, form a full bottle of cleaning spray. This means they can be packed with limited waste.
Moms take pride in having a carbon-negative business – one that aligns with their green values.
They have also opened a warehouse in Melbourne and have a core staff.
“We had a big party when we started paying each other,” they said
Kristy says she loves being able to inspire her children with her business story.
The mums worked with scientists to find their cleaning chemicals – because they wanted something as eco-friendly as possible – but still wanted it to be effective
The range now includes the iconic cleaning cloth as well as refillable cleaning sprays using a tablet and water.
“It’s important to me to show them that dad doesn’t make all the money while mom spends it,” she said.
And even though they had to cancel a few vacations and tighten their belts a bit, the whole family got “in” with the brand.
“Children love to help, they pack the products. Everyone does it. We roll up our sleeves and do it together.
The mums also donate money to charities through their activities and are currently helping provide Cambodian families with clean drinking water.